If you have been on the internet for any length of time, you have probably heard multiple people talk about how great of a career copywriting can be.
So, people dive into it and want to get started, but they have no idea where or how to find clients to pay them.
While all of the internet gurus want you to believe that you’re going to make $10K a month with one hour a work while you sip your margarita on the beach, I’m going to let you know that it’s going to take a little more strategy than that.
You can make a great living and you can build it up to that level, if you want to.
Your first month, though? No, probably not.
However, with the right networking plan, you can get their faster than you would otherwise. Let’s dive in and talk about the best strategies to do so.
Where To Find Copywriting Clients In 2024
Now, if you think there is going to be some grand secret, you’re mistaken.
Finding clients for a copywriting business is just like any other business: you’re going to have to network and do some outreach. Yes, that means being social. Yes, if you’re in the starting stages of your career, it’s going to be so awkward until it isn’t.
There is no secret website, secret pitch, or secret community that is going to make you a millionaire overnight.
Yes, there are ways you can do it to make it a thousand times easier on yourself, but anyone who tells you there is some secret that no one has heard of is full of it.
However, if you are willing and ready to roll up your sleeves, this is a whole list of options.
1. Follow your favorite companies
This is going to sound a little “duh” but you’d be shocked at how few people do this.
If you know what business industries you are targeting, you should be following some of your favorite companies on every platform.
This is how I’ve landed some of my biggest clients. I followed them on social media and pounced when I saw they were looking for writers.
2. Ask Your Network
Every time I tell people to ask the people already in their network, they say, “But I don’t know anyone!”
Oh, you don’t have any college friends? Family? People you used to work with? Have you left your house ever?
You don’t have social media?
Maybe all of that is true for you, but most people have a few friends and family members who could pass on the word about your new venture. You might even have a friend who has an Etsy shop, or someone who wants to start their own newsletter.
Are friends and family the best sources for clients? No, but they can be a way for you to get started working with people and potentially get your first few paying gigs.
Once you advance, you will want to continue to tap into your network to meet new people and find work.
Getting a referral is one of the best ways to get a new client without having to do the hard work of selling them on who you are. They already trust the person who gave them the referral.
3. Step up your social media game
Through the years, I’ve been harsh about social media and how helpful it can be.
I saw a lot of writers wasting their time working on optimizing their social media profiles when they could be doing work that matters.
Now that social media is such a force online, it would be insane to miss out on how great of an option it is for getting clients.
My best platform, for better or worse, is Twitter (Or, X, as it’s called for now). I have spent years building up a network there and some of my best clients come from that platform. Slowly, slowly working on my LinkedIn presence as well, as that platform makes the most sense to build up next (for me). For you, it might be Instagram or TikTok. You’ll have to analyze where your potential clients are and be sure to be there.
There are so many platforms to choose from, but it does help to sit down, pick one, and start to build up your name there.
4. Events
Listen, I know so many writing introverts do not like the idea of going to events. And as someone who prefers to stay home, I get it.
You should also know that some of my best clients came from showing up, shaking hands, and talking about my business.
People like people that they get to meet and talk to. It does so much of the heavy lifting of trying to get someone to like you and want to work with you.
If you only pitch online (which can be a fine strategy), you have the extra hurdle of trying to get them to care about you. It’s much harder to be ignored when someone is standing right in front of you.
If you are trying to get a particular client or work your way into a certain industry, going to those events can do wonders for your career.
5. Solid website
Like a great social media presence, a solid website can be your key to landing new clients.
While SEO is not the most exciting topic to learn as a copywriter, it’s something you should add to your arsenal so you can use it for your own website (and, of course, beef up your copywriting offers for clients).
Having a well-crafted website that can attract potential clients can save you so much time from having to go pitch them.
Imagine waking up to leads, clients, and people wanting to pay you every single day. That’s the joy of a good website.
6. Build your brand
While I know this step is gag-worthy and we’ve all heard it, there is something to be said for being known for something online.
You can do this through offering free resources, appearing on podcasts, having a unique approach to your craft, or through a million other options.
When you take the time to position yourself online, you now stand out from the thousands of other people who offer your exact services.
7. Find companies who need your skills
You will want to get in front of people who can consistently send you work. This is often through places like agencies.
Agencies often have a consistent need for copywriters and their skillset. There are tens of thousands of agencies just in the U.S. alone, much less across the world. Getting your foot in the door as someone who can reliably turn around work can do wonders for your workload.
Want a full client-pitching guide?
If you just want a checklist for someone to tell you what to do and how to do it, you need my Pipeline ebook. It’s the comprehensive guide to building a full pipeline of clients so you never run out of work again.
Buy your copy: here!